Variable Contract vs Other Standards

How Variable Contract compares to other variable/token standards and why it wins.

Comparison matrix

Variable Contract vs DTCG 2025.10

What DTCG provides

DTCG 2025.10 defines:

• JSON structure for variables
• Type system
• Reference syntax
• Composite types
• Group extension

What Variable Contract adds

Variable Contract adds governance:

• Naming convention rules
• Change control process
• Validation requirements
• Versioning strategy
• Adapter patterns

DTCG is a format. Variable Contract is governance on that format.

Variable Contract vs Style Dictionary

Style Dictionary is a tool

Style Dictionary:

• Consumes variable JSON
• Generates platform outputs (CSS, TypeScript, etc.)
• Has its own format (legacy) and supports DTCG format
• Focuses on build pipeline

Variable Contract is governance

Variable Contract:

• Defines the contract (format + rules)
• Works with Style Dictionary (as an output adapter)
• Focuses on version control and validation
• Tool-agnostic

They work together: Variable Contract defines the contract, Style Dictionary generates outputs.

Variable Contract vs Material Design

Material Design is opinionated

Material Design:

• Defines specific naming patterns
• Includes brand-specific decisions
• Tied to Material Design system
• Less flexible for other brands

Variable Contract is flexible

Variable Contract:

• Defines structure and rules, not specific names
• Works for any brand or system
• Focuses on governance, not design decisions
• Adaptable to any design system

Material Design is a design system. Variable Contract is a governance standard.

Variable Contract vs Adobe Spectrum

Adobe Spectrum is complex

Adobe Spectrum:

• Complex taxonomy (namespace, domain, object, base, modifiers)
• Many naming segments
• Brand-specific structure
• Over-engineered for most use cases

Variable Contract is simple

Variable Contract:

• Simple dot-separated paths
• Minimal required segments
• Flexible structure
• Practical and testable

Adobe Spectrum solves Adobe’s problems. Variable Contract solves everyone’s problems.

Why Variable Contract wins

1. Simplicity

• Variables are variables, not special “tokens”
• Simple naming (dot-separated paths)
• Clear structure
• Easy to understand

2. Governance

• Clear rules (not opinions)
• Testable requirements
• Versioning strategy
• Change control process

3. Tool-agnostic

• Works with any tool
• Adapter pattern for tool integration
• Not tied to specific tools
• Flexible consumption

4. Designer + Developer

• Works for both audiences
• Clear handoff process
• Shared understanding
• No separation

5. Production-ready

• Validation in CI
• Version control integration
• Migration paths documented
• Troubleshooting guides

6. DTCG-compliant

• Builds on existing spec
• Not reinventing the wheel
• Compatible with DTCG tools
• Adds governance layer

7. No posturing

• Focus on what works
• Practical examples
• Real-world scenarios
• No marketing fluff

When to use Variable Contract

Use Variable Contract when:

• You need governance for variables
• You want DTCG compliance
• You work with designers and developers
• You need validation and versioning
• You want tool-agnostic approach
• You need migration paths

Do not use Variable Contract when:

• You only need format (use DTCG directly)
• You only need build tool (use Style Dictionary)
• You want brand-specific decisions (use Material Design)
• You want Adobe-specific structure (use Adobe Spectrum)

Migration from other standards

Variable Contract supports migration from:

• DTCG (add governance)
• Style Dictionary format (migrate to DTCG format)
• Material Design (extract variables, apply governance)
• Adobe Spectrum (simplify structure, apply governance)
• Custom formats (normalize to Variable Contract)

See Migration Strategy for details.

Out of scope

• Replacing DTCG (we build on it)
• Replacing Style Dictionary (we work with it)
• Replacing design systems (we govern variables)
• Tool-specific features (we’re tool-agnostic)